New Aquarium Chemical Levels!

[Mtvrdik10]

Hey guys I've had my new aquarium up and running for a few weeks now and I just did a test and wanted to get your opinions on the levels and see what you guys think about them. If there's anything that you think needs to be raised, lowered and what not. Thanks guys!

Nitrite - 0

Nitrate - 0

Hardness - 150

Chlorine - 0

Alkalinity - 120

PH - 7.8

 

[ajs2294]

What is your stocking? and your Ammonia levels?

 

[waterdrop]

Agree on the ajs questions. Also, those look to be the standard set of tests used in the paper strip test kits. If so, they unfortunately are just considered too misleading by many of us. I think I remember you have a nice 50+G tank with an eheim cannister so it would seem another good piece of basic equipment would be a good liquid-reagent master test kit!

~~waterdrop~~

 

[Mtvrdik10]

That is correct. I do have a 55 gallon aquarium with nothing in there right now...so the dip test you're saying is not a good test to use? Not accurate?? The ammonia is also 0. That was used with a real ammonia test. Not a dip test. An API brand which from my personal experience is pretty good with most of their products.

 

[Assaye]

If you have no fish, your results are about right.

I would seriously consider investing in a decent liquid test kit. API, Tetra, Sera, Nutrafin and Salifert do good ones. You need to be able to test for ammonia, nitrites, nitrate, GH/KH and pH.

What sort of stock are you planning?

 

[ajs2294]

That is correct. I do have a 55 gallon aquarium with nothing in there right now...so the dip test you're saying is not a good test to use? Not accurate?? The ammonia is also 0. That was used with a real ammonia test. Not a dip test. An API brand which from my personal experience is pretty good with most of their products.

Your levels a fine, are you doing a fishless cycle? Dip test's aren't very accurate as there are much more variable's that can skew results. Like others of said it is best to invest in a liquid test kit, API Freshwater Master kid is about 25-30 dollars and a very reliable product. It pays to be sure!
Best of luck,
Ajs2294

 

[Mtvrdik10]

Just some electric blue jack dempseys or some green terrors most likely. Not positive yet. Was also considering a wolf fish too....not really sure!

 

[ajs2294]

Just some electric blue jack dempseys or some green terrors most likely. Not positive yet. Was also considering a wolf fish too....not really sure!

I haven't had experience with jack dempsey's but I'm pretty sure you can only fit 1 in a 55 unfortunately.

 

[Mtvrdik10]

Hmmm the testing kit I bought was about the same price. The dip one that is...ill have to get the other one though. And I actually am not running a fishless cycle. I have a few goldfish in there and I have had them in a couple weeks now.

 

[waterdrop]

Ok then, with the goldfish in there I'm sure you've probably read our Fish-In cycling article by rabbut in the Beginners Resource Center. Basically, the goal is to figure out a percentage and frequency of water changing (always using good technique by using a good conditioner at 1.5x to 2x and rough temperature matching) that keeps the highest levels of ammonia and nitrite(NO2) reached to 0.25ppm or below before you can be back home again to change water again.

[That will minimize the permanent gill damage from the ammonia (with goldfish you will see no outward signs but the life will be shortened somewhat) or the permanent nerve and brain damage from the nitrite (from the methemoglobin problem.)]

Fish-In cycling is hard work physically sometimes but not very complicated as a procedure.

~~waterdrop~~

 

[Mtvrdik10]

I did skim through that material for sure thank you for also pointing it out to me though. I personally have never even heard of a fishless cycle before coming to these forums...so ill just stick to old school with my goldfish haha. The only test I had ever done on my water before yesterday was a ph test. However, I've never had any problems with anything to bother even worrying about other tests. Now I know even after 10+ years of being here that there's a lot more tests needed to assure your water is good for your fishes.

Typically I would just put a dozen goldfish or so into the tank...do 25% water changes for a month and then add whatever fish I desired into the tank and have yet to have bad luck. Its nice knowing now though that many more preventative measures can be taken now to ensure your fish will be alright and that your water levels are all good.

 

[waterdrop]

Yes, I started having tanks in the late 50's and had many tanks in the 60s and of course everything was old school. When I stumbled on the modern fish forums and this one in particular I at first kept thinking it was really odd what I was reading. Then I started reading more carefully and began to think it was truly -bizarre-! I reached a point where I finally became curious about whether it was really true and worked so I dived in and did one just like all the other beginners here (out of sheer curiosity, not because I couldn't have done a decent fish-in procedure.) Well, I have to admit that even fairly far along as I was going through the process I had my moments of doubt, even of thinking the whole thing was some sort of internet joke, but when it finally worked I was actually rather stunned with the results: My first weeks of observation of my first initial stocking after a fishless cycle were that the fish, several species, pranced around practically as if they wanted to breed almost from the start. I had had years of observing fish like this and these fish day in and day out were behaving as if their environment was as perfect as any of my peak moments with tanks in the past. It was impressive and inspired me to help pass along the info involved in the process.

~~waterdrop~~

 

[Mtvrdik10]

Alright guys I took your advice and got a different test kit. An API Freshwater Master Test Kit. Test pH, High Range pH, Ammonia, Nitrite, and Nitrate.

After doing the test these were the results.

Ammonia - 0

High Range pH - 8.2

Nitrate - 0

Nitrite - 0

pH - 7.6

So the tests did vary a little bit, but were pretty similar to those with the dip test. But there is certainly enough variance that the test kit was worth the buy. Thank you for the suggestion guys. Are these levels all ok you think??

 

[fatheadminnow]

Alright guys I took your advice and got a different test kit. An API Freshwater Master Test Kit. Test pH, High Range pH, Ammonia, Nitrite, and Nitrate.

After doing the test these were the results.

Ammonia - 0

High Range pH - 8.2

Nitrate - 0

Nitrite - 0

pH - 7.6

So the tests did vary a little bit, but were pretty similar to those with the dip test. But there is certainly enough variance that the test kit was worth the buy. Thank you for the suggestion guys. Are these levels all ok you think??

Do you have any live plants in the tank? Either your tank is cycled and your live plants are using all the nitrate (which is highly unlikely) or you have yet to reach a readable level of ammonia, which again cannot be possible if you have had fish in there for a couple of weeks. Something is fishy here?

How long exactly have you had fish in the tank?

Have you done anything to the tank, even a water change? Anything?

-FHM

 

[Mtvrdik10]

No Water Changes at all dude. I added the proper amount of new tank stabilization the first 7 days of it running. I added the goldfish about the 5th day after the water cleared up a bit. Bacterial bloom I believe is the proper definition? Anyhow. It's been 2 weeks maybe a day or 2 under that the goldfish have been in there.

Why do you think its fishy? And no sorry there are no live plants. All plastic decor is in the tank. I can show you pics if you'd like if maybe that would help? Why it would I have no clue...just throwing options out there haha.